Substance Abuse: Fluoride

Fluoride is an organic mineral that has become very widely used—and abused. It is found naturally in our soil, air, plants, and animal tissues, but it is most widely present in our water supplies. More than 50 years ago, adding fluoride to our water became official public health policy, as it was proven to help prevent cavities in children’s teeth. Some research recently suggests, however, that fluoride can be overused, and it now affects every species, including our horses.

According to the 1974 dietary fluoride reference standards for livestock issued by the US National Academy of Sciences–National Research Council (NAS-NRC), horses can safely tolerate up to 60 ppm F in the dry matter of their diet. 1

Excessive amounts of artificially added fluoride added to drinking water has been documented to cause dental fluorosis, colic, stiffness, lameness, and even poor reproduction as well as crooked legs, hyperostosis and enostosis, hoof deformities, and microscopic evidence of reduced bone resorption. 2

Mother Nature has an ingenious way of regulating and balancing systems. When we as human beings see a benefit in a substance, as with fluoride, we often decide to capitalize on it, mistakenly believing that "more is better," but when used in excess, fluoride can accumulates in the bones and soft tissue. It can reach toxic levels and become “Fluorosis,” also known as fluoride poisoning. Arm yourself with as many facts as possible, and make informed choices when using fluoridated water.

“Around 70 percent of community water supplies throughout this nation are fluoridated. Most other nations have banned it or otherwise do not fluoridate. Fluorides are also used in about a third of pharmaceutical drugs, such as fluoroquinolone antibiotics and some psychotropic pharmaceuticals.” 2

In humans, lower doses of poisoning may be seen as tooth or bone abnormalities and rapid death can come from a very high dose, although this outcome is very rare.